Ben Roberts-Smith

[aap1966]

Victoria Cross recipient. (Australian equivalent of the Congessional Medal of Honor).

"During his fifth tour of Afghanistan, on 11 June 2010 Roberts-Smith was involved in an operation to hunt for a senior Taliban commander in the Kandahar province. Here he took part in an assault against an enemy fortification, exposing his own position in order to draw fire away from members of his patrol who were pinned down. Fighting at close range, he stormed two enemy machine-gun posts and silenced them. For this action Roberts-Smith was awarded a Victoria Cross. His citation in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette noted that 'his selfless actions in circumstances of great peril served to enable his patrol to break into the enemy's defences and to regain the initiative ... resulting in a tactical victory'."

He "silenced" the machine gun posts in hand-to-hand combat.

My wife and 14 yo daughter ran into him in a coffee shop, and stopped to say "thanks". Real nice guy, humble and happy to chat. Proud my wife and daughter had a chance to shake his hand.

[HardDrive]

Hero.

[drcoastline]

Awesome, post. I would be honored to shake his hand.

[Baz]

Thanks for sharing this with us. Great story. What bravery and courage.....you should be very proud to have such an Australian as a countryman.

I consider American very fortunate to have Australia as an ally. Along with Canada and Great Britain of course.

[aap1966]

Thanks Baz.
I've always been surprised how those with the most to be proud of are often the most unassuming.

[Bill Douglas]

Victoria Cross. Excellent.

[wdfifteen]

Thank you for posting this. Thanks to him for his courage.

[Tobra]

Good on them to recognize him. Thanks for sharing this

Maybe we are the ones driving on the wrong side of the road.